Cooking top assembly



April 22, 1958 R. G. SHEID LER COOKING TOP ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 12. 1955INVENTOR. ROBERT 6.5Hf/DLER BY M Y ATTOkA/CYs.

m mumnnvi I United States Patent COOKING TOP ASSEMBLY Robert G.Sheidler, Lucas, Ohio, asslguor to The Tappan Company, a corporation ofOhio Application January 12, 1955, Serial No. 481,389

Claims. (Cl. 219-37) This invention relates, as indicated, to cooking orrange structure of the type adapted to be mounted in a counter, kitchendrainboard, base cabinet or the like, and, more particularly, to such anassembly characterized by improved means for thus mounting the same.

The cooking tops now finding increasing use in homes,

cooperably with built-in oven units serving to replacethe conventionalcabinet type of range, are mounted substantially flush in the kitchendrainboard or another similar work counter, so that the heatingelements, generally electric, are approximately at the counter level.The tops are unitary, in most cases comprising a metal rough-in boxadapted to fit within an opening formed in the counter and a metal coverplate for the box having a decorative finish, such as of stainlesssteel, adapted to be positioned at the top surface of the counter.Various mounting arrangements are utilized to suspend and hold firmlythe assembly in the opening, without detracting from the appearance ofthe unit.

It is generally considered undesirable to employ fastening elements, forexample screws, which pass downwardly through the cover plate, since theheads of such elements would be visible and unsightly. For this reason,considerable use has been made of a peripheral clamping ring of generalT-shaped cross-section, the top of which commonly overlies the marginaledge of the cover plate and the adjacent portions of the counter, thusobscuring the joint. The depending leg of such ring is adapted to beengaged by special attaching members secured to the counter around theopening therein, the engagement being such that the members may beadjusted to draw the ring firmly down against the cover plate andcounter.

The use of this'ring, however, has several disadvantages, both from costand facility of use standpoints. It is, of course, a separate assembly,at least the exposed upper part of which must likewise have a decorativefinish. Rather careful cutting of the opening for the cooking top isrequired, since the limited width of the ring top must completely coverthe joint and overlie the adjacent plate and'counter portionssufliciently to permit effective clamping in the manner noted. Thisrequired exactness of the fit is emphasized by the fact that the ring,for practical reasons, ismade in one piece with rounded corners, wherebythe opening in the counter must be carefully cut with correspondingcorner radii.

A further major disadvantage of such a prior assembly is the necessityfor applying and finally tightening the clamping members from outside ofthe rough-in box.

This involves working in the almost always limited space beneath thecounter, with the result that a satisfactory installation may beditficult and laborious to obtain.

It is accordingly, a primary object of my present invention to provide acooking top assembly of economical nature which may, moreover, be veryeasily installed in a kitchen counter or the like.

Another object is to provide a cooking top assembly including mountingmeans for installing the same in support frame structure, with themounting means applied and made fully operative to clamp the assemblyfrom within the interior thereof. This particular feature is ofconsiderable importance in permitting an installation 'to be madeconveniently in a matter of minutes and without the exercise of anyparticular skill.

It is also an object to provide an improved cooking top assembly of thisnature having clamping means readily adapted for use with counters ordrainboards of widely varying thickness. v

A further object is to provide a cooking assembly comprising a coverplate unmarred but for conventional heating element openings and adaptedto overly in clamped relation to counter adjacent an opening thereinwithout the use of a separate clamping ring or the like.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention,then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described andparticularly pointed out in the claims, the following description andthe annexed drawing setting forth in detail certain illustrativeembodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but afew of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may beemployed.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. l is a top plan view of two cooking tops in ac cordance with thepresent invention as installed in a kitchen counter or drainboard;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; i

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on a slightly enlarged scale taken on line4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5--5 of Fig. l to an enlargedscale.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral 10designates a portion of a horizontal counter or kitchen drainboardsupported in suitable manner above cabinet structure indicated generallyat 11. Such counter may be made of any conventional material, covered oruncovered, and, insofar as here pertinent, is intended to represent anyform of cabinet top or frame within which it is desired to mount aunitary cooking assembly.

The counter is provided with a first rectangular opening 12 Within whichan electrical surface unit cooking top 13 is mounted and a secondopening 14, likewise rectangular, having mounted therein an electricalgriddle unit 15. Two different types of cooking tops have beenillustrated to show that the basic constructionfwith which the inventionis concerned, and particularly the manner of mounting the units, is notlimited to any specific type of cooking device. Both assemblies arealike in that they comprise a metal cover plate, 16 for the unit 13 and17 for the unit 15, having apertures for reception of the respectiveheating elements. plate 16, two circular apertures, 18 and 19, ofdifferent diameter are provided to receive electrical surface units 20and 21, respectively, which are of conventional type and need not bedescribed in more detail. It should be noted, however, that they areremovably disposed'in such apertures in the usual manner. Removablysupported in aperture 22 of cover plate 17 is a conventiona electricallyheated griddle 23. g The peripheral edge of each cover plate is turneddownwardly, as shown at 24 for theplate 16; it will be understoodthat'plate 17 is similarly formed in this respect. This serves tostrengthen the plate edges and additionally improves the appearance ofthe installations. The plates are, as illustrated, rectangular and ofsuch dimensions as to overlie the counter portions adjacent therespectively associated openings in the same. The surface unit assembly13 is provided with control switches 25 of customary In the case ofnature in thefront wall 26 of the cabinet structure, while the griddletop has a .control switch 27 at the rear of its cover plate.

Continuing now with a description of the surface unit assembly 13, thecover plate 16 of the same is secured to a metal rough-in box 28 havingan open top closed by such plate, end walls 29, side walls 30 and abottom wall 31. This box is rectangular and of less area than the coverplate, so that the latter projects outwardly beyond the walls of the boxat all sides. The dimensioning of the ing, to the underside of the sameand projecting downwardly through an angle support which is secured tothe box around the top edge thereof. Nuts 36 are threaded on the studs34, as shown clearly in Fig. 5, thereby to bolt the plate to the box,the number of studs and the spacing of the same being selected toprovide a firm union of the parts. The assembly as supplied comprisesthis arrangement of cover plate and rough-in box, and it will be seenthat when inserted in the counter opening, the box is suspended thereinby the engagement of the cover plate with the counter portions adjacentthe opening.

An improved mounting means for clamping the assembly in the counter isprovided; the side walls 30 of the rough-in box having plural clampingregions each comprising a series of vertically spaced knock-out tabs 37,preferably arranged in two rows. Immediately above each such tab, thewall is embossed outwardly to form a dimple 38. In the constructionillustrated, two such groups of knock-outs and associated dimples areformed in each side wall, all groups corresponding so that the knock-outtabs in the different clamping regions are in like horizontal planes.

With particular reference to Fig. 5, a clamping member 39 is employed ateach such clamping region of the box and disposed to pass through thewall aperture formed by pushing a selected knockout tab outwardly. Oneend 40 of such member is disposed substantially vertically inside thebox in the operative clamping position of the member and has anadjusting screw 41 threaded therethrough'into engagement with the sidewall 30 of the box in the dimple thereof above the particular knock-outused. It will be clear that the dimple assists in maintaining the screwin proper engaged relation, slippage of the inner end thereof on-thewall being precluded. Extending from the lower end of portion 40,substantially at right angles, is an intermediate portion 42 whichpasses through the knock-out aperture. The clamping member has adownwardly formed shoulder 43 at the end of portion 42 which overliesthe exterior of the box wall at and just below the aperture andcontinuing therefrom is an upwardly extending portion 44 adapted toengage the underside of the counter. The upper, external end 45 of themember is bent down so that a rounded contact is made with the counter.

It will accordingly be seen that threading of screw 41 in a directiontending to move the end portion 40 of the clamping member away from thebox wall causes the other end of the member to be drawn tightly upagainst the underside of the counter, the shoulder 43 serving to form afulcrum at the point of side Wall engagement by preventing the clampingmember from shifting bodily inwardly. The force thus exerted isgenerally in opposition to the outer periphery of the cover plateoverlying the counter thereby to form a force couple, the cover beingdrawn downwardly, which effectively clamps the assembly in place. Thesame action is obtained at each of the four clamping areas, a similarclamping member being operative in the same manner at each location.

Clamp members 39 are positioned from within the rough-in box 28 andscrews 41 are likewise actuated from the box interior, access beingprovided by the cover plate apertures adapted to receive the surfaceunits. The entire installation is, therefore, accomplished from abovethe counter and may conveniently be made in a matter of minutes. Afterthe assembly has been clamped in the manner disclosed, the surface unitsare then inserted and connected to complete the installation.

The-provision of several knock-outs arranged in a number of spacedhorizontal planes adapts the assembly for efficient mounting in countersor frames of varying thickness, those knock-outs affording the notedoperative disposition or" the clamping members relative to the counterbeing utilized. It will be understood that the lower portion of thegriddle assembly 15 also comprises a rough-in box to which its coverplate 17 is secured in the manner described, and that such box issimilarly clamped in the counter opening provided therefor, as indicatedby the further clamps 39 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. In thisstructure, the opening for the griddle element proper affords the accessto the box interior.

Thus, the invention embodies a simple and conveniently usable mountingscheme for installing box-like structure having a fully or partiallyopen top, regardless of specific functional design, in a support frame.Because the clamping is wholly accomplished by work within thestructure, an installation is made possible even in locations where theback or underside of the frame is not at all accessible. Such extremeflexibility is, moreover, had at less expense than the more limited andless easily applied mounting afforded by a peripheral ring clamp of thetype mentioned earlier and now popularly employed.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed,change being made as regards the details described, provided thefeatures stated in any of the following claims, or the equivalent ofsuch, be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A cooking top assembly adapted to be mounted in an opening providedtherefor in a counter or the like, comprising a substantiallyrectangular rough-in box having an open top and a plurality of knock-outportions formed in the side walls of the same at each of a number ofperipherally spaced locations, the knock-out portions at each suchlocation being arranged in like vertically spaced-apart relation and theside walls of the box being further provided with an inner indentationspaced slightly above each knock-out portion, an apertured cover platesecured at the top edge of said box, said plate being likewiserectangular but of larger size than the box so as to extend beyond theperiphery of the latter, the dimensions of the box and cover having suchrelation to the counter opening that the box fits within the same Whilethe marginal portion of the plate overlies the counter around theopening, clamping members disposed to extend from within said boxoutwardly through side wall openings provided by displacement ofcorresponding knock-out portions at the several locations of the same,each such clamping member having an inner end portion through which anadjusting screw is threaded into engagement with the side wallin theindentation above the particular knock-out portion thus utilized and anup wardly extending outer end portion adapted to bear against theunderside ofv the counter, said clamping members being formed withintermediate shoulder portions which abut the outer side wall surfacesof the box below the knock-out openings through which they respectivelyextend, whereby generally downward force on the inner end portions ofthe clamping members resulting from adjustment of such screws causes themembers to fulcrum at the box side walls and exert upward pressureagainst the underside of the counter thus drawing the box and coverplate downwardly, the assembly thereby being clamped firmly to thecounter, and a heating unitremovably disposed in the aperture of saidcover plate.

2. A cooking top assembly adapted to be mounted in an opening providedtherefor in a counter or the like, comprising a rough-in box having anopen top and a plurality of knock-out portions formed in the side wallsof the same at each of a number of peripherally spaced locations, theknock-out portions at each such'location being arranged in likevertically spaced-apart relation, an apertured cover plate secured atthe top edge of said box and extending outwardly therebeyond, thedimensions of the box and cover have. such relation to the counteropening that the box fits within the same while the marginal portion ofthe plate overlies the counter around the opening, clamping membersdisposed toextend from within said box outwardly through side wallopenings provided by displacement of corresponding knock-out portions atthe several locations of the same, each such clamping member having aninner end portion through which an adjusting screw is threaded intoengagement with the side wall above the knock-out opening through whichit passes and an upwardly extending outer end portion adapted to bearagainst the underside of the counter, said clamping members being formedwith intermediate shoulder portions which abut the outer side wallsurfaces of the box below the knock-out openings through which theyrespectively pass, thereby to pivot the clamping members at the box sidewalls when such screws are adjusted to exert a generally downward forceon the inner end portions of the members, the outer end portions of theclamping members thus acting upwardly against the underside of thecounter to draw the box and cover plate down firmly to clamp theassembly to the counter, and a heating unit removably disposed in theaperture of said cover plate,

3. A cooking top assembly adapted to be mounted in an opening providedtherefor in a counter or the like, comprising a rough-in box having anopen top and a plurality of apertures in the side walls thereof arrangedin peripherally spaced-apart relation in substantially the same plane,an apertured cover plate secured to said box at the top edge of thelatter and extending outwardly therebeyond, the box being adapted to fitwithin the counter opening with the outwardly projecting portion of thecover plate overlying the counter, a clamping member extending througheach such side wall aperture, each clamping member having an inner endportion through which an adjusting screw is threaded into engagementwith the side wall above the respectively associated aperture and anouter end portion adapted to bear against the underside of the counter,the clamping members further having intermediate portions overlying theouter surfaces of the box side walls beneath the openings through whichthey respectively extend, whereby adjustment of such screws results inthe clamping members pivoting at the box side walls and exerting upwardpressure against the underside of the counter firmly to clamp theassembly,

' same plane, an apertured cover plate secured to said box at the topedge of the latter and extending outwardly tl'rerebeyond, the box beingadapted to fit within the counter opening with the outwardly projectingportion of the cover plate overlying the counter, a clamping memberextending through each such side wall aperture, each clamping memberhaving an inner end portion through which an adjusting screw is threadedinto engagement with the side wall above the respectively associatedaperture and an outer end portion adapted to bear against the undersideof the counter, the clamping members further having intermediateportions overlying the surfaces of the box side Walls beneath theopenings through which they respectively extend, whereby adjustment ofsuch screws results in the clamping members pivoting at the box sidewalls and exerting upward pressure against the underside of the counterfirmly to clamp the assembly, and a heating unit removably disposed inthe aperture of said cover plate. I

5. A cooking top assembly adapted to be mounted in an opening providedtherefor in a counter or the like,

comprising a rough-in box having an open top and a plurality ofapertures in the side walls thereof arranged in peripherallyspaced-apart relation in substantially the same plane, an aperturedcover plate secured to said box at the top edge of the latter andextending outwardly therebeyond, the box being adapted to fit within thecounter opening with the outwardly projecting portion of the cover plateoverlying the counter, a clamping member extending through each suchside wall aperture, each clamping member having an inner end portionthrough which an adjusting screw is threaded into engagement with theside wall in which the respectively associated aperture is located at apoint spaced vertically from such aperture and an outer end portionadapted to bear against the underside of the counter, the clampingmembers further having intermediate portions overlying the surfaces ofthe box side walls adjacent the openings through which they extend,adjustment of such screws resulting in the clamping members pivoting atthe box side walls to exert upward pressure against the underside of thecounter and thereby firmly clamp the assembly, and a heating unitremovably disposed in the aperture of said cover plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,953,145 Wilson Apr. 3, 1934 a 7 2,502,553 Ball Apr. 4, 1950 2,551,759Pence May 8, 1951 2,563,735 Mitchell Aug. 7, 1951 2,584,187 Crist Feb.5, 1952 2,752,609 Phelps July 3, 1956

